Decades of Project Management research shows that lack of user involvement/ executive sponsorship and requirements management are consistently high on the top 10 causes of project failure list. Over time, there has been a modest uptick in project success rates, but still, large percentages of projects fail to meet their goals. Why? Here is a short candidate list to consider:
- Not enough of the right PM training offerings. There is more focus on certification than learning the right skills. Plus, while the PMBOK® Guide has tripled in size, the education hours of many programs remain the same (how is this effective???).
- Too many "accidental" project managers. Neither the PMBOK® Guide nor the MS Project manual are learning resources - they are references.
- Huge tolerance for waste and quality issues. While waste and quality issues may not appear to be relevant to projects, they compound to impact the portfolio.
- Too busy running the business to look at anything else. Let your trained project managers manage projects with your support.
- Too busy investing in other areas. Don't short change the organization. Your investment in project success is an investment in organizational success.
- Lack of a continuous improvement mindset. Continuing to make the same mistakes will not lead you to success.
Why do you think managed projects still fail?
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